Withering Bonds
by cheyshire
Summary: An OC insert, though fairly Sakura centric. Relatively short, as it's mainly a set up for the Shippuden arc. In a world of what ifs, bonds will wither as flowers blossom.
1. Prologue

**A/N: This is my first story I'll be publishing on ff. I've read a lot on here, but I never got an account because I lack a computer-thus I am doing this from mobile. If anyone wants to beta read for me, and help me along with this, I'd love you forever. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

 _Prologue_

All was silent in the exam arena.

It would have been the perfect time for Sakura to close her eyes and drift off. And she would have done it too, had she not remembered.

Remembered where she was, what she was participating in, and most importantly, what got her in this position.

Angering the girl she easily would call her best friend over a boy who couldn't care less about any female.

She couldn't believe that this ks what it took for her to decide she'd get stronger, and carry her weight on her team, pushing her feelings to the back of her head.

While her thoughts took but mere seconds to process, her decision was made as she forced her eyes open, and pushed herself from the ground. To the shock and awe of others, she began to stumble towards Ino. The supervisor saw no ill intentions in the pinkette's face, and let her continue her shaky, yet determined walk.

Nearly collapsing near her friend, she checked her pulse, praying to all and any gods above that her friend was alive for her to salvage their friendship.

"Ino's heart rate is a bit below normal," Sakura told the moderator, exhaling in relief. He nodded, and made to go get assistance before remembering his duty.

"Sakura Haruno is the winner of this round," he stated before hurrying to find help. She then flopped backwards on the ground, closing her eyes.

Though she wished for the previous silence to return, hearing Naruto cheer for her as the others were awestruck was a much more pleasing sound to doze off to.

XXXXX

A month later, the stadium was buzzing with excitement. Sakura was nervous-she had only heard scary things about the girl she'd be fighting, her fight with Ino having rendered her unconscious for the rest of the preliminaries(much to Naruto's distress).

And when she stepped out into the arena to find the pale girl with black hair, who seemed to be a few years older than her, she gulped. The girl had a weapon on her back, and Sakura felt her odds of winning slowly slip away.

They neared each other, as per the rules. And that's when the black haired girl took her weapons off her body, then dropped them to the ground.

"Taijutsu?" she asked. Sakura nodded, relieved as her chances of winning slowly climbed back up, dropping into a stance she had once seen Kakashi teach Sasuke-since her sensei never truly taught her, all she could do was watch.

The other girl raised a dainty eyebrow at the pose choice, but both girls leapt into action when the signal was given.

They had fought harshly for five minutes straight. Taijutsu only, of course, as per their agreement. The stadium was on their feet, screaming with anticipation of the outcome.

The combatants were panting, slight smiles on their faces as they stared each other down.

'Can you see me now, Sasuke-kun?'

They both charged at each other, fists raised for their last blow.

Both of their hits connected.

Both of them then fell to the ground, unconscious.


	2. Chapter 1

_The Blossom After The Inferno_

Most of them were discharged from the hospital for good after the funeral. The only one really left in was Sasuke, though Sakura knew he wouldn't appear even if he wasn't, despite it's closeness to the dock he could usually be found at. She glanced at the dock from the small island in the middle of the tiny lake(though prehaps large pond was a better way of wording it). It was perfect for the celebratory picnic. After all, Shikamaru and herself had been promoted to chunin.

"C'mon Sakura, can we please start?" Naruto all but wailed.

"Shikamaru isn't here yet, and he was promoted along with me," she responded, causing a few others to snicker. Kiba lightly punched his arm, while Neji rolled his eyes, mumbling something about that's exactly what he told Naruto.

Yet Sakura couldn't help but fall victim to her thoughts as they returned to Sasuke. He had seemed like he cared for her when he jumped to her defense, but...

Shikamaru appeared, bursting her Sasuke centered thought bubble, and his grim look burst Naruto's happy one.

"What's wrong?" Choji asked, sitting up a bit straighter.

"Sakura and I have to go," he informed them. "We're going to be meeting our teammate today."

"But Sakura is on Team 7!" Naruto protested.

"We're chunin now, and so our third teammate will be a chunin for higher level missions," Shikamaru sighed. "Since Rock Lee is still unable to go into the field, his team will most likely be spilt up, and you'll get one teammate, while Choji and Ino will get the other."

"Yeah but...it won't be the same," the blond mumbled deafeatedly.

"Don't worry, Naruto," Sakura smiled. "We'll be on the same team when you're a chunin." That seemed to lift his spirits, and he was still beaming when Shikamaru and Sakura left.

The only one who seemed to notice her smile was forced was her new teammate.

XXXXX

They met with their new sensei outside the training grounds. Her appearance was a bit unsettling, with white eyes and blue hair. Her name, Miyuki, seemed to fit her.

"Now about the other member of our team," the graceful woman started, her hands folding in front of her in mild nervousness. "You aren't allowed to discuss who she is or her abilities in detail. They are," she winced, the wound of the loss still fresh to them all, "were the Hokage's orders."

Both of them knew better than to ask, as they'd find out soon enough, though they shared a look.

They found her within the training grounds, a girl that was clearly around their age-yet unknown to them, as they hadn't seen her around the village. But Sakura was positive that that was the girl who she had achieved a double knock out with in the exams.

 _Seems the other girl had made chunin too_ , she mused.

But now Sakura could actually study her new teammate, who was exceedingly pale, as if she'd never seen the sun a day in her life. Her hair was pitch black, the polar opposite of her milky skin, and at first glance she looked like an Uchiha. Her red orbs are what gave her away, knocking the idea of being an Uchiha from their minds, given there were no tomae in her eyes. It was a well known fact that Uchiha couldn't have red eyes as a normal colour, after all.

She was training with a sword, which was fairly unusual for someone their age, as most weapons were typically introduced later in their training- Tenten was the exception, as far as Sakura knew. Though as the two newly named chunin following their leader came to a stop, the strange girl took out a kunai to continue her graceful combo. It was an unusual sight, as she used the kunai as a sort of wedge, propelling herself in the direction she chose along the ground.

 _It would definitely take most shinobi off guard._

"What clan is she from?" Shikamaru asked, though Sakura wondered the same thing.

"Lord Forth said the name was top secret, and not to be shared lightly. He said he could only tell us that this girl is the last," Miyuki replied. A clap of her hands caused the girl to stop and seathe her kunai and sword. "Now then," she grinned, "let's get to know each other a bit."

XXXXX

"I'm not trying to replace Sakura, Naruto," Tenten sighed for what seemed to be the tenth time.

"It sure feels like it," the blond pouted. It was obvious he just wanted his old team back, and Kakashi's heart went out to him.

"Naruto, there was no need for Neji to join us," Kakashi started softly, placing a comforting hand on his students' shoulder. "Then we'd have two prodigies on our team, and Ino and Choji would be left without a monotonic voice of reason."

"When you word it that way, I have a hard time finding a way to be offended," the new girl to the team said, offering her temporary sensei a small smile. Naruto seemed to grasp it this time, and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry for being rude," he told Tenten. She shook her head.

"I feel the same. I miss Neji and Lee," she admitted. Naruto gave her an understanding smile, one which she returned.

"Let's do our best, Tenten," he said, holding his fist out to her. She nodded, connecting her fist to his with a brighter grin.

"Let's just get going," Sasuke finally spoke up.

"Ah yes, the mission," Kakashi snapped his fingers, as if just now remembering what he wanted to say. "So apparently..."

XXXXX

Akihara.

That was her new teammate's name. Sakura exhaled slightly.

"You still miss your old teammates." It wasn't a question, but an observation made by the new girl.

"Yeah," Sakura admitted quietly.

"I never thought I'd say this, but man, it feels really weird not being around Ino and Choji," Shikamaru offered in an attempt to relate to Sakura. She gave him a half smile.

"Your old team was given Tenten," Akihara directed to Sakura.

"Which means Neji went to my team," the only boy in the group sighed. "What a drag."

"How so?" the black haired girl asked with a tilt of her head. Sakura had to admit, she felt a little better when the other girl didn't have her attention focused on her.

"When I go back to them, I'll have to listen to them compare Neji and I, even if it's jokingly," Shikamaru explained with a lazy wave of his hand. The girl let out a thoughtful hum, but said no more.

"When is Miyuki-sensei supposed to return?" Sakura asked, not really wanting the other girl to start a conversation again.

"Soon," Shikamaru replied. Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him.

But she could kind of see why Ino was the way she was, if she had to put up with this attitude all the time. Speaking of...

"Was Ino alright the last time you saw her?" she asked.

"Yeah, of course," the only boy replied. "A bit upset because she didn't make chunin, but I'd be more concerned if she wasn't." The pinkette nodded her agreement, the three of them returned to silence, sitting with their backs to a rock in the training ground.

"Alright, kiddos," their new sensei spoke from atop the rock. Sakura saw Akihara's hand go to her kunai holster at being startled.

 _Never let anyone play a prank on her._

"For today," Miyuki said as dangled something from her hand, "we're going to do trust exercises so you guys learn to work together quickly."

Sakura's eyes narrowed at the what dangled from her sensei's hand.

"Are those blindfolds?" she asked warily. The only answer she got was a devious look.

They were so screwed.


End file.
